‘Proud Family: Louder and Prouder’ Removes Major Character

The producers behind Proud Family: Louder and Prouder chose to acknowledge the absence of one major character in the reboot, which is now available for streaming on Disney+. In the first episode, it becomes apparent that Penny’s friend Sticky (who was previously voiced by Orlando Brown) is no longer with the group as he leaves behind a note for his friends explaining his disappearance.

“I’m really gonna miss you guys,” Sticky writes in a letter addressed to Penny. “My dad got a job in Japan. He said I didn’t have to go. I could stay with my cousins if I wanted, but I’ve had enough of that crazy Dijo…” The note cuts off before Penny finishes reading the name of her friend Dijonay, who spent much of the original show chasing down Sticky for a potential relationship.

Co-creator Bruce W. Smith says he and the team decided to take Sticky out of the new series as a way to explore new ideas in the reimagined story. “We always wanted to expand out the world,” he told TVLine. “In doing that, sometimes you have to revisit where characters are going and how we can bring in new characters. For us, expanding the world sometimes means you lose characters, but you also gain more characters that help grow the show in a direction we feel is necessary for this new version. That’s where a lot of our decisions lie.”

Though, the door isn’t entirely closed on the possibility of Sticky returning. “We never say never on our show,” Smith says. “That’s our thing. This show is about bringing in new characters and expanding the world, but also giving surprises at the same time.”

Smith doesn’t acknowledge the option of recasting Brown, but it comes as no shock that the former That’s So Raven star was left out of the show considering his history of substance abuse and making salacious claims about his former Disney channel co-stars. At one point, he alleged to have had a sexual encounter with Nick Cannon. To which, Cannon responded calling the story “f––ing hilarious!!!!”

“First off let me say I am praying for the young brother Orlando even though I don’t really know him personally, I have always loved and enjoyed his talent and have been a fan of his past work. He was f—ing brilliant in Major Payne, and had us all laughing on That’s So Raven,” Cannon said at the time, according to E! News. “But this is another crucial example of when we allow our young artists to be prematurely exposed by this demonic business and left out to fend for themselves. We need better support systems for our youth and take care of our own. I watched various of this young brother’s videos and all I see is a cry out for help. So I don’t know if there are any real leaders or solid individuals in this young man’s life but let’s embrace him and tighten him up so he doesn’t become another lost victim to these Hollywood circumstances.”

Brown has since overcome his drug addiction and has become a member of Rise Church in Abilene, Texas. He credits the church for most of the help he’s received after he joined the church’s in-patient recovery program, Rise Discipleship. He later graduated from the program in 2020.